Laboratory informatics is a specialized field that combines multiple disciplines to optimize operations for labs facing increasing competition and a changing technology landscape. It encompasses a range of tasks and systems designed to streamline processes, manage lab data, and facilitate data analysis and reporting. Most labs use software like laboratory information management systems (LIMS), electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN), laboratory execution […]
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Successfully scaling a next-generation sequencing (NGS) lab takes careful preparation. Myriad complexities are involved, any of which could cause delays and extra expense. For some labs, scaling up means hiring more staff and ordering more consumables, or even acquiring additional physical space to house lab equipment and supplies. If this extra space isn’t available onsite, labs might need to rent […]
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A laboratory information management system (LIMS) can provide tremendous value to a lab. It can enhance efficiency and productivity, improve data quality, save time, and ensure compliance with traceability and auditability. However, to get the best return on investment, you need to ensure that it’s set up to manage your lab’s entities and workflows properly. What are entities and workflows? […]
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Busy labs collect an incredible amount of data every day. From patient and sample data and test results to information about equipment, reagents, and personnel, data is the foundation of the lab business. So safeguarding this valuable data — maintaining its security and ensuring it is always accessible — is critical. In our last post, we shared four ways to […]
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Cloud-based laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are highly scalable and conveniently accessible. They handle automatic updates and patches so that the software is always current. Plus, they provide state-of-the-art security to ensure sensitive patient data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. However, because labs operate in a sector where patient privacy is paramount, many hesitate to transition to the cloud. […]
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Clinical diagnostic laboratories can gain a significant advantage by ensuring their data conforms to FAIR principles — that is, data is easily findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. But many labs don’t recognize the importance of FAIR data or they find that implementing these principles is challenging. At Semaphore, we believe FAIR data sets forward-looking labs apart from their peers, giving […]
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Labs that are implementing a laboratory information management system (LIMS) generally start with “happy path” use cases. These ideal or expected workflows represent the most efficient, smoothest route to complete a task. But a system that only meets these straightforward requirements will quickly run into trouble in a production environment. Experienced LIMS implementers know it’s also critical to support unexpected […]
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How to Make a LIMS Support Your Lab’s Unique Workflows Commercial off-the-shelf laboratory information management systems (LIMS) often come with pre-built protocols to help labs get up and running quickly. But if your lab solely relies on these pre-built protocols, you’re missing out on efficiencies that could give your business a competitive advantage. Moving beyond out-of-the-box LIMS functionality While the […]
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Every lab manager knows that good data is essential for advancing science — whether it’s to track trends, confirm or disprove hypotheses, or compare results across experiments. But what’s the best way to ensure decisions are based on good data in your lab environment? Modern clinical diagnostic labs generate a wealth of valuable data through the use of numerous […]
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Liquid Handler Robots: Key Integration Factors to Consider Integrating a liquid handling robot (LHR) with a laboratory information management system (LIMS) takes a collaborative effort between the lab, the LHR management software vendor, and the integration consultant. In our last post, we talked about some of the problems that can occur when labs use automated LHRs, and three integration patterns […]
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